Ball-point pen rejuvenator



April 1962' H. K. OHNSTAD 3,029,330

BALL-POINT PEN REJUVENATOR Filed March 6, 1961 INVENTOR ATTORNEY HowardZEOZnsfad United States Patent 3,929,331'5 BALL-POINT'PEN REJU-YENATORHoward K. Ohnstad, 374 3 W.- El Segundo" Blvd,

Hawthorne, Calif. Filed Mar. 6-,.1961,-Ser. No. 93,500- 3 Claims; (Cl.219-19) This invention relates to a device for rejuvenating ballpointpens of" the type embodying. an elongated ink containing magazineequipped at one'end witha nipple having. a scribing ball. revolublyseated in its outer extremity. Such pens. frequently become inoperativeby reason. of the pen point being clogged by thickening: or solidifyingof ink Within the discharge end of the pen such as to inhibit rotationofthe scribing. ball or to prevent the flow of ink from the magazine.

When such clogging of the'pen occurs it is ordinarily discardedorrefilled with another magazine under the supposition that the inkcontent of the magazine has been exhausted when actually such isnot' thecase. It has been found! that where-themagazinecontains a quantity ofink the flow of which is-prevented by clogging of the" pen point, suchflow can be established bysubjecting'the' pen point to the action ofheat.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an electrical heatingdevice which is adapted to receive and support a ball-point pen andwhich is operable to apply heat to the ball point in a manner such as toeffect expansion of the ball and at the same time act to liquify orrender fluid the ink contained within the discharge nipple of the inkmagazine which has become conditioned such as to prevent discharge ofthe ink from the pen, and thereby rejuvenate the pen and permit furtheruse thereof.

Another object is to provide a pen-point heating device embodying aminiature electrical heating element mounted in a dielectric body andfitted with a pair of terminal prongs adapted to be plugged in aconventional electrical socket, and wherein such heating element is soconstructed and arranged as to provide a hot spot on which theball-point of a pen may be seated.

With the foregoing objects in view together with such other objects andadvantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in theparts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed and as illustrated by way of theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device;

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side View;

FIG. 4 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail in section as seen on the line '5--5 ofFIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a view in longitudinal section of the heating element as seenon the line 66 of FIG. 3 with the housing removed.

Referring to the drawings more specifically A indicates generally anelectrical heating element and B designates a housing in which theelement A is imbedded. The element A comprises a cyindrical heatconducting dielectric core 7 formed of porcelain or the like.

An electrically conductive and resistance sheath 8 encompasses the core7 and has electrical contact with electrically conductive caps 9-9 fixedon the ends of the core 7, from which caps lead wire conductors 1010connecting with a pair of parallel prongs 11-11 adapted to be removablyinserted in the conventional electric sockets into contact withterminals of an electric circuit in a well known manner, wherebyelectric current from a source of supply will be directed from saidterminals ice 2 through the sheath 8" such as to heat the latter" andthe core 7 encompassed thereby. I J v p p The sheath 8' may comprise anysuitable materiarhaving the requisite electrically conductive andresistance properties, but is'h'ere shown as being. a hardened plasticor semi-fluid surface coating. consisting of finely com minutedelectrically conductive metallic particles intimately bonded together bya fluid cementitious material into a body into which the assembled core7 may be dippedtb effect coating thereof and which coating: is baked orotherwise dried on the core in a usual manner.

The sheathed core 8 together with the caps 99,: conductors 10-40 and theinner ends of the prongs- 11 11 are imbedded within a body of hardenedmolded dielectric maten'alsuch as rubber or kindred substances,constituting. the housing B which latter embodies a blocklike baseli'lhaving an inner; end from which the parallel prongs 1 1 -11 project.Formed on the opposite side margins of the base 12- are roundedprotrusions 14-14 which serve as fingerholds to facilitate manipulationof the housing B in effecting engagement of the prongs 1111 with aterminal socket and their disengagement therefrom. I p I In carrying outthe invention the cylindrical heating element A is positionedhorizontally in the base 12 to present a side portion thereof toward theupper face of the base and an upstanding pen receiving tube 15 iserected on said upper face in fixed relation thereto. The tube has anopen upper end and has the interior of its lower end in opencommunication with a convergent passage 16 of circular cross-sectionleading downwardly in the base 12 and opening to the upper portion ofthe heating element A.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a circularopening 17 in the portion of the sheath 8 opposite the open lower end ofthe passage 16 which opening is concentric with the passage 16 and has adiameter exceeding that of the adjacent end of the passage. A dielectricring 18 integral with the base 12 rims the margin of the opening 17 toinsulate said margin from the interior of the passage 16 as shown inFIG. 5.

An unobstructed imperforate laterally extended circular area 19 of thecylindrical surface of the heating core 7 will be exposed through thering 18 which area constitutes a hot-spot when the core is heated. Thisarea 19 may be curved in continuation of the curvature of the peripheryof the core 7 but in-as-much as such area constitutes a seat for thescribing ball C in the end of the discharge nipple D of a ball-point penE the area 19 is preferably concave with the surface thereof extendingon a radius slightly greater than that of the periphery of the pen pointball to be seated thereon so that the ball will be automaticallycentered on the heating area with a substantial portion of the lowerpart of the ball lying in close proximity to the surface of the area 19so as to eifect rapid heating of the ball.

The tube 15 has an internal diameter slightly larger than that of thelower end portion of the pen B so as to freely receive the latter andyet afford a support therefor, and the passage 16 has a diameter at itsreduced end slightly larger than that of the nipple D to permit readypositioning of the ball C on the heating area 19 of the core 7.

In the operation of the invention the prongs 11-11 are inserted in anelectric socket having terminals connected in an electric circuit,whereby electric current will be caused to flow through the prongs11-11, wires 10-10 and the resistance sheath 8 to thereby heat thelatter and also effect heating of the core 7 by heat transmitted fromthe sheath 8.

The pen E to be rejuvenated is then inserted in the tube 15 and disposedwith the ball-point C thereof seated on the area 19 of the core 7whereby the ball-point will be subjected to the action of heat such asto effect slight expansion thereof and the transmission of heattherethrough to the Wall of the nipple D so as to slightly expand thenipple and at the same time melt and liquify such solidified or gummyink as may be present in the nipple thereby rendering the pen operative.

Ordinarily the above heating operation is effected in less than aminute. However in some instances a longer time may be required andsometimes on removing the pen and testing its operation if it is foundunoperable it may be necessary to repeat the operation.

By the use of the invention the presence or absence of ink in themagazine of ball-point pens may be readily and quickly determined.

While a specific form of the invention has been set forth herein, theconstruction is subject to modification, the invention embracing suchmodifications as come Within the meaning and scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a device for rejuvenating ball-point pens embodying an inkmagazine having a discharge nipple fitted with a scribing ball, acylindrical dielectric core,

an electrically conductive and resistance heating sheath encompassingsaid core having a circular opening 4 therein opposite and leading tothe cylindrical surface of said core, there being an unobstructedlaterally extended circular area of the cylindrical surface of said coreexposed through said opening to support a ball thereon with thespherical surface thereof in contact therewith, a housing imbedding saidcore, a sheath having a ball-point pen receiving and supporting passagetherein leading from its exterior, said passage having a circular endopening opposite said circular area concentric with the margin of saidcircular opening in spaced relation thereto, and means carried by saidhousing for directing electric current through said sheath. 7 2. Thestructure called for in claim 1 in which said exposed area of said corehas a concave ball receiving recess centrally thereof.

3. The structure called for in claim 2 together with a dielectric ringapart from said core insulating the margin of said opening from theinterior of said passage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,381,500 Reader June 14, 1921 2,580,092 Herbert et a1 Dec. 25, 19512,815,429 Weisz Dec. 3, 1957

